A few days ago, we had the pleasure to interview Chiara Ferella Falda, Director of Communication and Special Projects Manager of Superstudio Group. Since many years, it has been presenting itself to the city of Milan as a great centre whose aim is to meet the needs of the city by representing an alternative to the Milan Fair and hosting art and fair exhibitions. We asked her some questions about her point of view on the Sustainability themein the Design field and below you can find the complete interview we had with her.

SUPERDESIGN SHOW @ Superstudio Più

SOYC: “At Superstudio you organize Superdesign Show, the great international event dedicated to furnishing and the latest design trends. Then, we wanted to know what you think about the link between Design and Japan. Do you think design is an element of inspiration in the Japanese market?”

Dr. Ferella Falda: “I think that in Japan everything is Design in the true sense of the word. There is a maniacal attention to detail, form, functionality, aesthetics. Nature and tradition wisely blend with technology, rigor with a playful aspect, and poetry with irony…

The Japanese designers are expected and acclaimed during the Milan Design Week, the most important in the world. At the Superstudio, visitors also made three hours of queue to enter Nendo. And then Kengo Kuma: spectacular is his giant origami installation that absorbs pollution. And then the retrospective dedicated to the great Shiro Kuramata, or the transparent piano that played by itself by Kawai. They were the real attractions of our Superdesign Show 2018. But, next to the Japanese superstar, there were also less famous but very talented young people: Yoy (keep an eye on them, we’ll hear a lot about them…), Budbrand, Yokohama Makers Village, Japan Design Week…

NendoDassault, Kengo Kuma

On the one hand, I believe that Japan has acquired a new awareness of its importance and influence on the international market, on the other it has become increasingly able to exploit “Design” as means of communication and not only as a result of a process. The success of the mega installations of technology companies such as Panasonic, Citizen, Toshiba, Sony, Lexus and Fuorisalone demonstrate how design has increasingly become a powerful communication tool, even for consumers, beyond the commercial product to be sold.”

SOYC: “What is your opinion about “Design and Planet – Sustainability Projections”, theme of our contest TheYouth Design Day in Japan, which aim is to combine design and attention to the sustainability needs of the planet?”

Dr. Ferella Falda: “I think it’s a great opportunity of exchange between Asia and Europe, and a special showcase for young Italian talents. I really appreciate how the theme of sustainability has been approached by the contest. The word “green” became almost an empty concept a few years ago: everything was eco, everything was sustainable, everything was cruelty free, but often this attention reflected only a new trend… It is a little like it happens today with the “vegan” phenomenon. The time to tackle the topic urgently and rigorously has come: there is no more time for us and the planet.

Your callgoes in this direction. It mentions in detail low energy and water use, saving of harmful emissions, eco-sustainable housing and architectural solutions, innovative urban furniture, recycling and use of waste, bio-based materials, clean and renewable energy, biodegradable packaging, etc. A very serious and articulated approach.”

SOYC: “According to you, what is the direction design will take in relation to the Sustainability element?”

Dr. Ferella Falda: “We are already witnessing the banning of certain materials such as plastic. Before we recycled it, now in many areas it will be forbidden to produce it and use it. I believe that the gravity of the situation involves forced radical choices. It is a world emergency. Design will have to accept the challenge and propose more and more radical solutions that are also aesthetically pleasing and functional, at acceptable costs. Nanotechnologies are certainly one of the most interesting solutions to obtain new materials capable of purifying the air and I was also very impressed by the study of bacteria able to “digest” the polluting substances… The time for half-measures is over, now we have to really act.”

SOYC: “Is it possible that in the future there will be meeting points and synergies between Superstudio and Switch On Your Creativity?”

Dr. Ferella Falda: “Superstudio has always followed new paths not beaten by others. It has been the pioneer of the Fuorisalone phenomenon since 2000. Even earlier, in the 80s, his engine has transformed a peripheral industrial area in today’s famous Tortona area. Asia (Japan in particular, but also Korea, China, Taiwan and Thailand) has always loved Superstudio. Every year we have many requests from companies or designers who want to present their projects here at Superdesign, because they know they can find an iconic place that enhances them and communicates them with professionalism worldwide.

Every new challenge, every creative project that is also innovative, research based, and that values ​​new talents, stimulates us a lot. Therefore, it definitely exists a point of encounter and mutual interest with “Switch on Your Creativity.“

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IED Turin, that was the only Design Academy which tookpart to Fuori Salone with some of its students, decided to reply to our call for TheYouth Design Day in Japan. IED Turin proposed to us some of its Transportation Design students to participate to our contest.

As illustrated on the IED Turin webpage about Transportation Design class, the aim of the course is that to form Transportation Designers: “The Transportation Designer is able to reconcile aspects of style, technique, aerodynamics, production feasibility and ergonomics. This kind of designer must have a profound understanding of the product and the functions that the consumer is looking for, so as to be able to have a clear idea about the relationship between design and marketing, innovation and commercial requirements along with the social trend and the economic background in which he is operating.”

We selected five students with this profile and soon we are presenting their projects, that will be then exhibited by November at the Italian Cultural Institute in Osaka, Japan. The five students are:

Emanuele Tommassorri

Manuel Negri

Matteo Prola

Mirko Pocobello

Tommaso Lorenzini

Their projects concern Sustainable Mobility and are conceived for important brands like Ferrari, Honda and Maserati between the others. Moreover, the projects they propose are bike-projects, which is an innovative aspect for these car traditional brands.

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The guidelines for sustainable development that come from the European Union, based in Brussels, are countless. Probably one day we will be able to say we live on a completely sustainable and green planet, and the circular economy will be present in more and more aspects of our everyday life. The road to reach such an objective is still long, but we are confident. In the meantime, here are the 4 fields in which sustainability is not only a virtuous goal, but also a trend element:

1. Architecture

Sustainable architecture designs and creates buildings to limit environmental impact, placing itself as design purposes energy efficiency, improvement of health, comfort and quality of use of the inhabitants, reachable through integration in the building of structures and appropriate technologies. Sustainability in architecture is not just synonymous with energy savings or reduced consumption. The winning card of an architectural or urban project is not only in the choices that make it ecological, but also in what defines the behaviors that the inhabitants of the building or the neighborhood must follow in order to live reducing waste and energy consumption to a minimum, not only within the district, but throughout the city.

2. Nutrition

To respond to the nutritional needs of an increasingly rich and urbanized planet, with a growing population, and to preserve natural and productive resources, food systems must undergo radical transformations towards greater efficiency in the use of resources. Sustainable diets must include the consumption of water-based foods, low carbon and nitrogen footprints, promoting food biodiversity, including traditional and local foods. Those diets have a low environmental impact and contribute to food security and a healthy lifestyle for current and future generations.

A sustainable diet respects biodiversity and ecosystems, is nutritionally adequate and efficiently uses natural and human resources. Its many benefits are linked to the composition of its foods characteristics, mainly of plant origin (fruit, vegetables, legumes and cereals), and to their diversified and balanced consumption. A sustainable diet does not generate long-term negative effects on health, the environment, society and the economy. The Mediterranean diet is a model of sustainable diet, indeed it is one of the most sustainable dietary models for the environment and health, as confirmed by numerous scientific evidence.

3. Marketing

According to Nielsen, a prestigious research institute worldwide, consumers around the world are increasingly favoring purchases from those brands that are committed to positive social and environmental change. In marketing, the packagingsector is evolving precisely to respond to this scenario. With the evolution of product packaging, the variety of parcels and packages that find their way into the flow of waste collection has increased. This gradual convergence is also contributing to the growth and diffusion of renewable materials from sustainable sources, a market trend that is confirmed by the growing use of biological and biodegradable plastics and of cardboard coming from certified forests.

4. Events

App and digital technologies have already drastically reduced paper consumption before and during events. Hybrid events will increase in the next few years, and remote participation will not only allow to broaden the audience of events but also to reduce their environmental impact. Collaborative consumption and sharing economy will cut out a growing role in organizing events, allowing to optimize costs and resources. In the next few years progress will be made in reducing waste generated by events, as well as in the separate collection of waste. The organizers will be more inclined to integrate the principles of sustainability into the initial concept of the event, and more careful to use stand materials that can be reused or recycled. Old materials will be archived and new ecological materials will be established on the market. Food waste will not be reduced, but action will be taken on the donation of excess food to charitable organizations or food banks.

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Jeon Sang IL is a South-Korean 30 years old designer whowants to help solving the disposal problem by creating some new straws and spoons which can be used in different kind of meals like breakfast, or lunch and dinner. In this way, we can reduce the pollution made by disposing lot of plastic cutlery.

This is what he told us about his design and its sustainability.

SOYC: “Can you explain us your project and in which way it can be considered sustainable?”

Jeon: “I designed a waste disposable product making the frame of a straw triangular: in this way the straw is stronger and can be used instead of ordinary disposable chopsticks. Not only the straw: I also designed a spoon making its head bigger in order to be used not only for yogurt but for the entire meal. This progressive disposable product can be used to reduce the number of disposable items that are often wasted.”

SOYC: “What did inspire you?”

Jeon: “My inspiration came from the concept of recycling: is it good as we think? Of course recycling is better than wasting but the process of re-making goods with the one we recycled cause a lot of pollution. Designing multi-use disposable items we hope to reduce the multitude of disposable goods and decrease the amount of waste (even if is recyclable waste).”

SOYC: “Where did the idea of your project takes its origin and why?”

Jeon: “Since 2012, I have been interested in new concept of sustainable and minimalist straw. I was very curious about it. I don’t know why. I think that straw are very interesting object to design. Moreover, My idea of design is related to make things useful in ordinary life, making it more sustainable. Hence, I thought that straw was a perfect object”

Xijing XU, Tian WU and Yue LIU are three Chinese design students of the China Academy of Arts. They created a sustainable installation that shows the traditional Tofu production and that can be used during exhibitions.

SOYC: “Can you explain us what your project is and focus on its sustainability?”

Yue LIU: “Tofu Drink is a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional Chinese production process of tofu, simplified and conceived to be used during special events. By transforming the traditional instruments into an intuitive installation, it allows people with some simple interactions to see and enjoy in real time the whole tofu drink production cycle. In this wat the traditional tofu production has been represented in a contemporary context and tofu culture could be continued sustainably with the social development, people will enjoy the food culture and also be kept in contact with sustainable dimension of life.”

SOYC: “Why did you decide to create your project?”

Tian WU: “For us the sensation of the taste is deeply connected with the other feelings, which influences our understandings of culture and even our relevant feeling to a special culture group. From this perspective, tofu and other soja products as old traditional Asian food has played the role, which awoke our nostalgia. Although until today they still appear on the table in everyday life, the big industry production distance us from the origin of what we eat. It’s not a criticism against the mass production, but with a deeper perception of the form process, it allows us building a multisensory tasting memory for ourselves.”

SOYC: “What did inspire you?”

Xijing XU: “During the research in countryside in Anhui province, we have visited many tofu ateliers, where different kinds of soja food were made in a really performative way. These experiences have inspired us to present the beautiful process into a modern ritual, which makes the eater (or in this context also audience) come closer to the story of food.”

Monir Kazemian and Dario Ivone are an Iranian-Italian couple who worked together to create HUG, a hook set made of aluminium, a durable material. Below the interview we had with them.

SOYC: “What is your project and where its sustainability stands?”

Monir: “Hug is a hook set made of a durable material such as aluminum. it is a product with strong symbol effect that is recyclable and addresses the latest needs for sustainability. The high quality product with its form and substance leading to last longer. In addition, the product painted by powder instead of regular methods of painting. In this way, powder can be used immediately without mixing with solvents or catalysts which is more eco-friendly.”

SOYC: “What kind of internal environments does HUG adapts itself to?”

Dario: “It adapted perfectly for different taste and styles. No matter what is your wall composition, Hug is appropriate for various modern environments, from entrance to living room, from the office to hotels and restaurants. The elegant geometry and cutting leading to characterize the three shapes, giving new interpretation and defining them as a set of design icon which will elevate the atmosphere of your place and would give your room a modern vibe. Hug shares their values of simplicity, sustainability and multifunctionality.”

SOYC: “Where does your project take its origin and why?”

Monir: “Origin’s Hug come from combination of western and eastern art and skill.This Because it’s design by designers Monir Kazemian and Dario Ivone. They are a Persian – Italian couple attracted by the combination of western and oriental design. They have different cultural approaches that coexist with each other.”

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